Associated Bank recently awarded the Rhinelander Hodag Fab Lab a grant in the amount of $6,832.78 to purchase a direct-to-garment printer for use by students, clubs and organizations within Rhinelander High School (RHS). The grant is awarded to organizations seeking to promote education and economic development in the area.

The printer will allow students to explore possible careers in a related field, express themselves through art, and design and promote their club, cause, or even a future business.

“This is a low-volume but state-of-the-art ink printer that can print nearly any image, drawing, or design directly onto t-shirts, sweatshirts, scarves, or any other suitable garment,” said RHS teacher and Fab Lab director Mike Wojtusik. “Students can be very creative with their work, but often don’t have multiple means of making it come to life. This printer will help do that. I’m confident students will find many ways of promoting the school or the entire Rhinelander area once they get to know its capabilities.”

“Associated Bank strives to support our communities through a variety of measures,” said Brad Kowieski, vice president of commercial banking for Associated Bank. “Two areas of focus are workforce development and entrepreneurship, and fab labs help bring these important initiatives together. We are proud to be able to help support an important asset in Rhinelander. With kids in the Rhinelander district, I’m personally excited to see how companies and students come together to build our economy.”

Wojtusik added that he hopes this will encourage more females to become involved in the opportunities available in the fab lab because of its diverse learning opportunities.